Inkworld
by Genny Cullen
Summary: Mo, Meggie, Resa and of course Farid have joined the group of strolling players known as the Motley Folk. With a new prince in Ombra, a small problem named Selena, and more stories come true, Meggie is very busy. minor Inkdeath spoilers included
1. Inkworld

Meggie shivered in her red dress that was getting so short it barely covered her shins any more

Meggie shivered in her red dress that was getting so short it barely covered her shins any more. She really should have brought her cardigan that she'd taken from the other world, but she hadn't intended to be traveling so much.

"Mo, how much longer to Ombra?" her teeth chattered, and Farid wrapped his thin arms about her in an effort to warm her. Mo turned from his position at the head of the group of Motley Folk.

"It shouldn't be much farther Meggie! Let's just hope that Fenoglio has room enough for a wandering minstrel or two." Glancing around he added, "Or ten." Meggie smiled at his attempt to cheer her. She leaned against the neck of her horse, wishing that she was under her warm comforter at home. In the other world. Not that she didn't love Inkworld. But she wished…that maybe it was a combination of the two.

Then again, she also wished that Dustfinger was not dead, that the Adderhead was not immortal, that Roxanne did not hate her and Farid for supposedly _getting_ Dustfinger killed, and that she was not riding bareback. But none of those wishes were coming true either, so she thought she was just going to give up on wishing here. Because usually her wishes here killed people, or saved people and then killed them, or even worse, killed the people and made their worst enemies _immortal_!! Meggie heaved an enormous sigh that made Farid squeeze her from behind even harder. He really, truly hated it when Meggie was unhappy. Which she often was nowadays. Her round face and bright blue eyes were meant to express happiness, not sorrow. The last time she had laughed was over a month ago, when a fire elf had landed on Mo's horse's rump and he had neglected to brush it off. It had burned Leila, the horse, and she had bucked and dumped Mo into a huge mud puddle. Meggie laughed when he sat up, covered from head to toe in mud with a dismayed expression. But that night her good mood was ruined once again when another child, this time Mina's newly born son Celestio, died of fever worse than the one that had killed Dustfinger's younger daughter. And even Nettle, the ancient mosswoman, couldn't heal her. As it was not her nature to feel helpless, Roxanne had been very quiet during the cremation. All the dead were cremated now, for they had no time to stop and give them a proper burial. Mina had nearly been driven suicidal, but the next week when a mother was killed in a sudden attack of soldiers marked with silver vipers, and her still nursing 1 year old son, Nigraso, was left orphaned, Mina snatched him up immediately as her own. No one objected, of course. Far too many children were dying because of the new prince in Ombra. Prince Ahbram had been elected from the town to be the new prince by Violante, Cosimo's young widow. He was the guard Cosimo had selected to follow her, and read her letters to her father, the Adderhead. After Cosimo's death, Ahbram had been a great comfort to her. And he was not a bad looking fellow. Not Cosimo's angelic face, but not unpleasant to look at. So, Violante took him as her husband, and he was crowned Prince Ahbram on March 13. Even the ex-prince's brat, Jacopo, was satisfied with his new father!

Contemplating this, Meggie fell asleep on her horse with Farid sitting firmly behind her.

She woke the next morning curled up in a branch of a tree. Sighing, she stretched. Farid never let her sleep on the ground for fear she would be trampled in a sudden attack or a stampede of horses frightened by a stray fairy. Or worse…kidnapped. A few pretty Motley girls had already been taken in the nights past, whether by man or beast it was not certain. So every night he tucked her up over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and hauled her up a tree. Farid was getting very strong from carrying small children all day on his back when they got tired of walking, so this was no problem for him. He slept in the trees anyway, to keep look out, a job at which he was very good at. She usually woke in an abandoned nest he'd found. Today it was some type of large bird, but once she'd found herself in a HUGE old fairy nest that he had enlarged the opening of.

As she was searching through her sack of clothes Minerva's oldest daughter had lent her, Farid appeared over the edge of the nest with two small eggs in his right hand and a strip of dried meat in the other. Seeing her awake, he smiled.

"Good morning, Meggie. Fried or scrambled?" he inquired, holding up the eggs.

"Scrambled please." She grinned at him. Farid was one of the only people left who could make her smile whenever he wanted to.

As he pulled a handful of dirt and twigs out of his old leather backpack to build a fire in the center of the nest, she looked him over. He was about 17 now. His inky hair was in its traditional short crop, slightly longer because he had not cut it lately. Whatever fat he'd had on his body (and Meggie doubted that he had ever had any) had completely evaporated, leaving him with an impressive array of muscles to show off. The long thin muscles he'd had last year were much larger as a result of all the labor he did daily. No longer was he an Arabian street rat to be kicked around by a gang of thieves. He was a formidable opponent when armed with a sword, and no one could handle a dagger quite like Farid could. He hardly ever wore a shirt ("It only gets caught on things. Especially when I'm in a hurry.") and usually wore the pair of raggedy jeans he'd arrived in the Inkworld in. One of the only things unchanged about him was his eyes. Still deep, dark brown with long thick lashes, like a girl's.

Meggie, on the other hand, had just turned 14. She also had changed. Elinor would be aghast at how much. Not only was she taller, but Meggie now fit Minerva's child's dress well. A bit too well, in Mo's opinion. Resa had had to take out the pleats Minerva had put in the chest to accommodate her growth. Even then the whole dress fit her tightly, like another skin.

"Now you truly do look like a Motley minstrel girl." Resa had recently said to her. They had taken to singing the Bluejay songs at towns they passed through for a few extra coins. Meggie was particularly popular with the young men. She often came back to camp with a bag full of silver from a young noble who had heard her. On these nights, Mo gave a small feast for the nearly starving group of strolling players. But it made him sad to watch his daughter grow up so fast. She had only been starting the 8th grade when she'd run away to the Inkworld. Now she had to be accompanied to villages (by Farid of course) to make sure some young gutter-mind didn't decide to borrow her for the night after one of her performances. She left her long blonde her hang down her back, just like all the Motley women did. She wore long colorful skirts and an anklet of bells Fenoglio had given her as a birthday present. Resa was teaching her to dance, along with the occasional advice from Roxanne. Soon, Farid would probably ask to marry her. Not only was it natural in his world to marry young, but it was a custom here too. And Mo would not object. Farid was a strong young man, and skilled enough to keep her safe. Mo himself would soon be busy with another child. A very small child.

Meggie thought a lot about the expressions she sometimes caught on her father's face. Eating the eggs Farid handed her, she thought about the look she had caught passing between Mo and Resa last night just before Resa had run into the fringe of trees grunting about feeling ill. Roxanne had followed her quickly. She and Resa had become tight friends during all the moving. They reemerged a moment later and Roxanne took her to her tent where the women spent the rest of the night. Mo had to sleep elsewhere because Roxanne would not let him in to see his wife. The only part of that that worried Meggie was how often her mother was ill lately. At first she had just thought Resa had eaten some spoiled meat or fish, which was quite common and easily cured. But it kept happening. It was obvious that Roxanne knew what was happening, and Resa probably did. And until very recently Mo had had no idea. But now he did too, and Meggie just had to guess. But she was pretty sure she had it nailed.

Resa was pregnant.


	2. Inksongs

Yes, Meggie was quite sure of it. Why Resa had not told Meggie herself, and left her to guess, she did not know. But she had found out soon enough. Judging on how often Resa held her stomach, and how gently Mo hugged her now was the most obvious indicator. The other was of course the morning sickness. Roxanne had given her an herb that helped, but that did not prevent it completely. Resa had also taken to sitting while she sang, wearing looser fashioned dresses, and not dancing at all. Roxanne was teaching Meggie for now. She did not dislike Meggie, only Farid, but as Meggie was barely ever seen without him, the hate was directed in their general direction. But, when Meggie was on her own she caught a glimpse of the kind happy, beautiful minstrel woman Dustfinger had fallen in love with so many years ago.

Exactly _how_ pregnant Resa was, she had no idea. Not very, as there was barely a bump visible, but enough to not be able to wear her tight Motley dresses any more. Meggie wore them now. Resa had taken to just tying loose pieces of colorful material around her waist over a pair of Mo's pants. She had also started tying her long dark blonde hair back into a ponytail every morning.

It did not particularly bother Meggie that Resa hadn't told her. She couldn't have found out about it herself until very recently, seeing as Inkworld didn't have the technology her world did. She knew Resa would reveal it to her soon enough on her own. As she finished her breakfast, Farid left her to get dressed. Pulling on a tight, short sleeved, light blue dress that only went to the middle of her thighs, she searched about for her sapphire silk skirt. Finding hanging over the side of her nest, she pulled it on and tied the edges up to free her legs. Swinging out of the nest, she slid down a long thick rope that Farid had tied to the branch. As she hit the ground he came running up to her.

"Meggie! You know I don't like it when you slide down the rope." He frowned and grabbed her up into a tight hug. Smiling into his chest she muttered, "Then why do you put it there?"

He sighed. "You know why. And it's not so you can slide down it and kill yourself."

"Fine. But I wasn't trying to kill myself. I was trying to get out of that nest. You know I don't like heights."

"And you know I don't want you kidnapped. Or killed." He blinked rapidly as memories of his mentor, Dustfinger, came rushing back. "I've seen one too many of my friends dead. I couldn't stand it if it was you."

Meggie looked up at his face, which he stubbornly turned away so she couldn't see the tears on his cheeks. Sighing she squeezed him tighter. "Okay! You win. You can retrieve me from my nest every morning. But only if you promise no more sulking. Got it?"

She used her thumb to wipe the tears off his face as he turned back to smile at her.

"Got it."

They had eventually stopped at a small clearing outside a village on the very far edge of Ombra. They should be back at the normal camp by the end of the day. Thankfully, Prince Ahbram was fond of having the Motley Folk in his courts at gatherings, and therefore they were able to come out of hiding. All except Mo, who had a large price on his head as the Bluejay, the notorious robber. He had taken to telling the sick children of his 'brave deeds' to keep their spirits up. He hadn't actually done any of them, Fenoglio had only modeled the Bluejay after him, but it made the children happy to hear stories told in his deep smooth voice, and it pleased him to tell stories that were not written down. He had not used his voice for anything but pleasure since making the immortal book for the Adderhead. And he didn't want to.

Meggie went off to find a group of her new friends to see if they would like to perform in the village today. They had not stopped here before, and did not know if the people were generous, and that was why Meggie was going. She knew that she and Resa, along with Farid and his fire eating, brought in most of the money the Motley Folk had. Finding Resa sitting on a stump, she posed her question.

"Hey, Resa. Do you want to come with Farid, Lilia, and I to the village? You know they always give more in the mornings."

"Sure darling. Give me a hand will you? I need to get my medicine and our bowl from the tent."

Helping her mother off the stump, Meggie followed Resa to her tent. Digging about in a leather bag Mo had gotten her, Resa pulled out a slightly crumpled leaf and chewed it up carefully before swallowing it with a shudder. At Meggie's glance, she responded "Feverfew. Always hated the stuff. It's a bit like grape Tylenol in plant form."

Meggie laughed. Smiling, Resa picked up a large wooden bowl Farid had burn out of a fallen tree he had found. As she tucked it in her bag, she put a hand to her stomach. Sighing, she pulled the bag up to her shoulder.

"Resa are you sure you want to go? I know about your problem, and you don't have to go to town if you don't want to. I don't know if they'll have a chair for you or not."

If Resa was surprised at Meggie's awareness, she didn't show it. "No dear, I'll be fine. I just wish she'd stop kicking and rolling around!"

Exiting the tent, the two women walked down the central path through the clearing to where Lilia and Farid were waiting near a smaller branch of the road.

Wrapping an arm around Meggie's waist, Farid whispered "Did she tell you?"

Of course Farid knew. Mo had probably told him. Or he realized Meggie was correct when she voiced her suspicion to him.

"No. But I referred to it, and she didn't seem surprised that I knew. So all is well."

"Good." He responded. "I wanted to try a new trick today. I taught it to myself and I want to see if it works. So be prepared. I'll be in my usual spot."

Meggie rolled he eyes at the ground. Farid insisted on filling the vacancy on her right side during all performances. That way he could see her, which was a comfort to him and Mo, and a threat to any who even thought of touching her. No one wanted to deal with the burly young fire eater. Once there was a man who did not see Farid watching Meggie out of the corner of his eye. As he tried to advance toward her and snag her waist, Farid had immediately dropped his torches (twelve of them) grabbed the man by his collar, and threw him into a near by stall. The man had hurriedly apologized and scurried away while other young men laughed at him, and women stared at Farid. Children hid in their mother's skirts, and Meggie had had to quit singing for the day and drag Farid out of the city to keep him from going after the man and injuring him further.

"Farid! Calm down! He didn't hurt me." she'd said, holding his face so that he stared into her eyes. "I'm ok. He didn't touch me."

"But he was…so…close…" he growled through his angry panting.

"You taught me how to use a dagger and you know I keep one with me even as I sleep. You know I would use it or call for help if anything _did_ happen to me. Plenty of men saw what that man was doing and if you had watched properly and not acted on instinct, you would have seen that that man had a slight disability. He wasn't quite right in his mind." she answered his upraised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry! But I just keep remembering Basta…" He trailed off.

She was blunt. "Basta is dead."

"I know."

"Then this is the end of this conversation." She'd kissed him, and they had gone back to camp with the money they had.

Meggie had decided to begin her performance with the original Bluejay song. She was about to begin singing when she noticed many men dressed in mail with the emblem of two silver vipers entwined on their chests. She immediately changed course. Thinking quickly she picked a song at random. Surprised at her choice, she almost stopped. The song was called Moondance. It surprised her because it was from her world, by a singer called Van Morrison. Mentally shrugging, she decided to sing it anyway, but with some different words. People were beginning to leave her crowd, assuming she was a first timer with stage fright. Hurriedly she began singing:

"Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance,

With the stars up above in your eyes.

A fantabulous night for a romance,

'neath the cover of autumnal skies.

All the leaves on the trees are falling,

To the sounds of the breezes that blow.

And I'm trying to please to the calling,

Of your heartstrings that play soft and low…

All the night's magic seems to whisper and hush!

And the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush!

Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love?

Can I just have some more romance from you, my love?"

The steady clink of coins filled her bowl as she began the second verse. Looking at Resa, she saw that her mother was frozen with surprise at Meggie's choice of song.

"Well, I'm falling in love with you tonight,

I can't wait until morning has come.

But I know that the time is just right,

And straight in to my arms you will run.

And when you come my heart will be waiting,

To make sure that you're never alone.

There and then all my dreams will come true dear,

There and then I will make you my own.

Every time I'm with you, I just tremble inside!

And I know how much you want me. That you can't hide!

Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love?

Can I just have some more romance from you, my love?"

She curtsied deeply as coins rained down on her and her bowl. They weren't only silver either. There were heavy golden coins mixed in. Meggie looked up quickly. The soldiers in silver had taken their money bags and dumped them out into her bowl, filling it to the brim with silver, copper and gold. Resa stared at the men like they were crazy. Standing up, Meggie said "Kind sirs, surely you are not giving your entire purses to me?"

A large knight with a ruddy complexion, who seemed to be the leader, nodded vigorously. "Oh yes! Yes, you darling child, we would give our hearts to you to if only we could! They nearly came to you anyway. You sing beautifully, beautifully! And you," the knight turned to Resa, "Why, you must be the girl's mother. Are you not?"

Nodding, she said, "I am indeed. I thank you, Lord…?"

"Falchion. And, my dear woman, I am no lord. Just a peasant man in fancy clothing, under the employment of the Adderhead."

"Well, Sir Falchion, thank you for such high praise. I must excuse my daughter and myself for now, but she shall sing again later. God bless you!" she called after him in the traditional Motley fashion. Taking Meggie aside, Resa whispered, "What on earth compelled you to sing _Moondance_? A good song, no doubt, but not an Ink song! You are not in trouble dearest," she exclaimed when she saw Meggie's eyes become troubled; "They obviously loved it. Sing more non-Ink songs. If they ask the composer, tell them the Inkweaver wrote it."

Smiling, she sat down again after emptying the wooden bowl and scrounging the stray coins off the ground around Meggie's feet into her bag. After the second song, one of Meggie's favorites from the movie Pinocchio called _When You Wish Upon a Star_, her bag was nearly filled with coins. A particularly rich man took his whole purse of gold off his belt and handed it to Meggie herself. When she looked up to thank him, he just winked. As he walked away she thought to herself, _That man looked strangely familiar. But who is it? _The she had to go back to her stage. She took a break at lunch, and sat down leaning against a wall to watch Resa take her turn singing. She sang Ink songs, and in return, got only half of her bowl filled after four songs.

"Give us the girl!" yelled a woman out of a nearby window.

Curtseying, Resa said clearly "You shall have her back again after her break. Until then, may I suggest Farid? He's a wonderful fire eater. And I've heard he can fly."

While the crowd rushed to see Farid 'fly', Resa sat by Meggie.

"Well my dear. You should be proud."

"Indeed you should!" came a happy, familiar voice. Looking up Meggie saw the man the voice belonged to. _But…He's…It can't be…_ she thought. Stunned and confused, Meggie stood and rushed at the man. His long sandy hair flew back as she crashed into him. And as he smiled, the three white scars on his cheeks stretched.

"Dustfinger!"

And Dustfinger it was.


	3. Inklovers

Resa stood frozen and white on the wall as Meggie hugged Dustfinger within an inch of his life

Resa stood frozen and white on the wall as Meggie hugged Dustfinger within an inch of his life. Which she soon realized he should not have.

"But…Dustfinger, how…? Where…? You're _alive_!" she exclaimed.

He laughed ruffling her long curling hair, and replied "Even the Cold Man has soft spots." He winked at her.

As she gaped at him, he turned slowly to Resa. Holding out his hands like a criminal proving he is unarmed, he walked towards her slowly. Suddenly she ran at him, engulfing him in her arms. She was laughing and crying and screaming all at the same time. Then, quite suddenly, she kissed him. Right on the mouth. Twice!

Meggie was stunned. She knew these two had had a relationship in the past, but for God's sake, she was PREGNANT!!

Dustfinger seemed very surprised too. Not that that stopped him in any way, shape, or form. When they were done, Meggie stood in a very teenage girl position. Hands on hips, tapping her toe, with her eyebrow raised she cleared her throat.

"Ahem?"

Resa started. "Oh…Meggie, he's back! _From the dead!_"

"I can see that."

"Right. Well," Resa looked very uncomfortable. "You see…ohhh, how do I put this?"

Clear and cold, Meggie said "You can start at the kissing part."

Flushing, Resa's eyebrows pulled together. "Now just a minute there young lady--"

"No! Resa, you're pregnant! You can't go around kissing men at random, whether they're back from the dead or not! Not even", she added at Resa's outraged look, "if they were part of your past relationships. I would say _especially_ not then!"

Glaring, Resa said softly, "Go back to your stage, Meggie. I'm taking Dustfinger to camp. Come back when the bags are full."

Without another glance, she threw her leather bag at Meggie's feet. It landed hard, causing the coins inside to clink together. Then she took Dustfinger's hand and led him away towards the road. Staring after them, Meggie was startled by a small tugging on her skirt. A little girl with red hair and freckles smiled at her. "Lady, would you sing again? Mama said I could give you my copper if I wanted to, but I wanna hear you sing first."

So Meggie turned her back on the retreating figures on the road and sang for the little girl and the growing crowd.

Twilight caught a young woman and man walking down a path through the forest talking and hauling bags filled with bread and fine cuts of meat over their shoulders. Meggie had sung 'til she was hoarse, and then a local mosswoman gave her honey-lemon tea and she sang on. Recalling her performance, she recognized only one Ink song. All the rest were from Home. Farid had not brought in as much as Meggie, but he got enough. At least, he'd had to empty his bowl a few times. Meggie had needed to use some of her money to buy another bag for her tips, which eventually dwindled to a few coppers per song as people went home for dinner. Farid had been so busy with the crowd Resa had sent him that he hadn't even noticed Dustfinger's appearance. And Meggie didn't want to ruin the surprise for him, so they just talked of business as usual. Coming upon the entrance to the Motley Camp, Farid took Meggie aside. Before saying anything, he gathered her up and kissed her in earnest. She responded just as warmly. Letting her go, (and dropping her several inches to the ground) Farid gazed at her soft face, into her eyes 'like little pieces of the sky' as he called them. Crushing her to him, he whispered "Meggie?"

Drowsily, she replied, "Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"That depends. Is it a good question?"

"_I_ think so."

"Mmmm…continue."

"Meggie…," he sank to one knee, leaving his hands at her waist.

She covered her mouth with one hand. She knew _exactly_ what his question was.

"Meggie I promise to love you, and cherish you, and protect you forever."

"Will you marry me?"


	4. Inklife

A/N: Hey Inkfans

**A/N: Hey Inkfans! I understand that this next scene is extremely important to us all. I'm sorry if anyone feels the urge to kill me after they read it. If you'd like, you can leave me a nasty review. Thank you to everyone who's given me ideas and personal info. (Look carefully. Your story might be in here!) ~ Genny C.**

Recap:

"_Meggie I promise to love you, and cherish you, and protect you forever."_

"_Will you marry me?"_

"Oh, Farid! Oh…" Meggie cried. Then she stopped and thought about the simple proposal. She thought so hard and long that Farid stood up and grasped her slim waist. "Meggie? Please, Meggie, the suspense is killing me! It's a simple question. All you have to do I say yes! Oh, Meggie, _please_ say yes!"

"…No."

She said it so softly that Farid didn't notice at first and continued holding her tightly, as if to persuade her into a more preferable answer with his body.

"No, Farid."

"What!?"

"Farid, I can't! I can't marry you!"

"Why can't you? I can protect you a hell of a lot better than Doria or Luc, or any number of the other Motley boys who've taken fancy to you. You know I love you Meggie! And I know you love me. Why won't you marry me?"

Meggie sighed and tried to lean her head on his chest, but Farid pulled her chin up so she could see the hurt and confusion swimming in his black eyes.

"Farid, I _do_ love you. I really truly do! But…Farid, I'm 14 years old. 14! Girls in your world might marry that early, but not in mine. I understand," she added as he started to protest her answer, "I understand that we are in neither your world, nor my world, but I would like to think that we are in a sort of combination of the two. In my world, people sometimes get married when they're 40." She smiled widely at Farid's horrified expression. "Not most people, dearest, just some. But no one _ever_ gets married this early. Most people shoot for 20 or 25, give or take a few years. I'll compromise with you. I'll marry you when I turn 16."

"16!? Come on Meggie!"

"I really don't see how that's so absolutely horrible."

"Don't see…Meggie, for all you know we'll both be dead by then. Or one or the other of us will be. That's the way of this world, darling. You know that."

Meggie pressed her face into his chest. She knew that. Of course she did. Or she should. Her mind rejected the thought of Farid dying so thoroughly that she flinched at the mental picture. Because she'd seen him dead before. And she wasn't sure she could stand it again. In her head she replayed the scene. Basta's knife flew towards Farid's back at a frightening speed. Of course, it hit him. Of course it did. Meggie watched as the light left his eyes. Her brain fast forwarded to the old mine cavern. He lay covered in his own blood on Dustfinger's old cloak. Dustfinger himself was there, wallowing in the loss of the sort of son he'd lost. If Meggie had been at least partially sane at the moment she could have detected the plan forming in his head. A few hours later, she watched as Dustfinger took life to give Farid his back. She rushed at Farid, crying and laughing, only to stop and realize the suicide of the act.

"Meggie?"

She snapped back to the present, the now moonlit path and the night sounds of the Inkworld.

"Meggie? Let's go home. We can argue tomorrow."

She nodded vaguely. No, she could not see him die again. Never.

They arrived back at the Motley camp just as Mo was leaving. "Where on earth have you two been? I was about to go looking for you!" Mo's hand automatically felt for the very sharp sword on his belt. Fire Fox's sword. He still didn't like using the weapon that had slain so many innocent people, but he didn't exactly have a wide variety of weapons available to him.

"Sorry, Mo. We had some…business…to attend to." Meggie explained carefully. She knew her father was aware of her relationship with Farid, but she wasn't positive _how_ aware. He'd seen them kissing once, but that didn't worry her. Because of course they kissed. But…that wasn't exactly all they did. They didn't do _**it**_, but Farid wasn't particularly subtle with his expressions of feeling towards Meggie. One of the benefits of living in a tree was that no one else could climb up. If Mo wanted to talk he simply called one of them down. He respected their choices, even if he didn't like them.

"Was your 'business' attended to, then?"

"Yes, Silvertongue." Farid replied.

"Good. Then take that food to the cook's tents. You've kept us waiting for dinner, and we have a guest tonight." Meggie paled as her father walked past her towards the center of camp.

She'd forgotten about Dustfinger.


	5. Inkchild

Resa led Dustfinger away from the crowded cobblestones of the village and into the forest he loved so well

Resa led Dustfinger away from the crowded cobblestones of the village and into the forest he loved so well. Finally she stopped pulling at him and sat on a large rock to catch her breath. Pregnancy was getting her out of shape. Dustfinger sat close beside her with an arm around her back in a half hug.

"So…what's this about being pregnant? And how come I wasn't invited to the shower? I'm offended." He teased, rubbing her shoulders. She leaned against him. "Dustfinger, do you remember the night in the Secret Camp? When Mo was so…so sick? You didn't know if Roxanne was safe and I believed my husband to be an inch from death. Do you…do you remember what we did?"

Dustfinger stiffened. Yes, of course he remembered that night. He'd felt guilty for weeks. He'd felt guilty during his stay in the land of Death, and now he felt guilty again. "Yes I remember. What about it?" He really didn't want to talk about this right now.

"Well…" she drifted off.

His face froze in the thoughtful position it had changed to. No. It couldn't be possible. That had been months ago! Surely by now she would have…

"You're not trying to tell me that…that the child is _mine_!?" He cried, jumping up and facing her.

She nodded hesitantly.

"No. No, no, no! It can't be mi- ours!" He refused to call it his. "Resa, that's impossible. We did that nearly ten months ago. By now you would have…you know. And quite obviously you haven't. How far are you? 6 months? 7? It's impossible! Truly impossible." He sat heavily on the ground, repeating "Impossible." Over and over again.

"I have a theory." She murmured.

Dustfinger looked up at her and smiled. She looked like a naughty three year old caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Really? Do tell."

"Well, that was only three or four months before you…you died. So my theory is that when you were…killed…the baby sort of died with you, but not completely. It was in a sort of limbo where it was alive, but it didn't grow or develop at all during that period. And you were…gone…for about five months. So it wasn't noticeable that I was pregnant until it started growing again about 2 months ago. So it's like it….woke up when you came back to life. And it's obviously taken you about that long to get here, so…It fits. I know it fits. Besides, Mo hasn't had an opportunity to…" Resa blushed, "you know, since before we came to Inkworld. That was nearly a year ago, and he hasn't died since then."

Dustfinger sat in awe. It was true then. He was the child's father.

"Oh this is so _wrong_." He moaned. "What on earth will I tell Roxanne? And you tell Silvertongue or Bluejay or Mo, or whatever it is they call him nowadays?"

"Simple. You tell Roxanne that the White Women loved you to much to keep you in the land of Death where you were so unhappy. So they let you go. And I will tell Mo that the child is his. I don't know if he suspects that the timing is a little off, or if he's realized that we haven't…talked…for over a year."

She sighed, and he changed the subject. "Have you decided what to name it?"

"Only if it's a boy. I would call him Corcoran, after one of Mo's friends here who died in a raid. I don't have a name for a girl."

"Selena."

"Selena." Resa smiled as the name slid over her tongue.

"An Ink child."


	6. Found

That evening when Resa took Dustfinger into the Motley camp, they almost immediately saw Strong Man. He blinked rapidly as if he'd seen a ghost. Which he thought he had.

Holding his arms out, Dustfinger smiled. "Larazo."

The Strong Man yelped and ran at him, swinging him around three feet off the ground. "Dustfinger! It really is you! How is that possible though? You were dead." Larazo (aka Strong Man) would have known too. He'd been one of the men to carry Dustfinger to his final resting place in the forest. He and the other men had been sworn to secrecy by Roxanne who had often visited the body in its unlocated tomb.

"What can I say? The White Women loved me too much to condemn me to a life, or rather death, of unhappiness. So they sent me back."

"You haven't acquired a new body have you?"

"No. I awoke in what I assumed was my tomb. I was surrounded by candles. Roxanne put them there I suppose?"

Strong Man nodded. "Speaking of Roxanne…'

Dustfinger stiffened up. "Yes? What about her? Come on man spit it out!"

"Alright, alright! Easy! She's fine. Over there, making dinner for the children. We're waiting for Farid and Meggie to come in from town before feeding ourselves. According to Battista, Little Silvertongue put on quite a show. You know, we really need a new name for her. She's not the tiny thing she was when she showed up in Ombra."

Nodding vaguely, Dustfinger walked off. Larazo looked down on Resa. "Don't you agree?"

"Yes."

"I'll think of something. 'Meggie' is not a proper name for a woman here."

Resa flinched as he said woman. _Is that what she is now? A woman? _

* * * * *

Roxanne sat in the makeshift tent, gently spooning soup into the mouth of a feverish, malnourished child. She didn't know who it was. They all looked the same to her now. The Prince had brought in another one yesterday, but the poor girl hadn't lasted the night.

Standing up with the nearly empty bowl, she walked across the tent to visit another child. As she stood at the foot of the sleeping boy's bed roll, the tent's door flapped open, silhouetting a man with long reddish hair.

"I don't have any more room here. You'll have to—oh!" Roxanne gasped. "Dustfinger?"

"Roxanne." He said with recognition. "Do the stones still burst into flower when you sing?"

She hugged him tightly. "I haven't been singing lately, so I wouldn't know. Besides, the stones probably prefer the Bluejay's daughter's voice to mine now. Everyone else seems to. And why not? Her father is a bird after all."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Madam?" Dustfinger mocked.

Roxanne sighed. "No. The child really does make beautiful music. But I fear that that will be her downfall. As it was yours…" she trailed off, stroking the white lines Basta's knife had long ago painted on Dustfinger's cheeks. Basta, too, had fallen for the beautifully wild minstrel woman who danced for Princes across Lombrica. The only thing that kept him from her was Dustfinger. So he was dealt with.

Dustfinger had dragged himself to the fairies, who had cured his face as much as they could, but left three long white scars that stretched from his chin to his temple.

"Don't worry about Meggie." He said, gently pulling her hand away from his scars and kissing it. "She has Farid. And Silvertongue. And apparently she's pulled Strong Man into her grip as well." He smiled. Yes, beautiful, blonde haired Meggie had no lack of protection. It was the women who were paled in her presence that were in danger.

"Roxanne, you carry a weapon with you at all times, don't you?" he reassured himself.

"Of course I do! Did you expect anything else?"

"No. Geez, woman, leave my head on my neck please! I like it there!"

"Hmpf." Roxanne pulled herself out of Dustfinger's arms and picked up her soup bowls again.

"I have to finish my rounds, Dustfinger. Would you please excuse yourself for the moment? I'll find you later."

He nodded silently and slipped out of the tent. She was still the gorgeous lady he'd known and loved, and she'd retained her attitude obviously. He smiled to himself as he thought of how she'd quickly hidden her stunned reaction to seeing him alive again. Yes, he'd noticed that. She hadn't changed a bit.

Meggie and Farid took the food they'd bought directly to the cook's tent. "Bless you children!" She'd said when they appeared at her door. "I swear if it weren't for you two and Lilia, none of us would be alive anymore. She said to tell you to go the pond, Meggie. She got back a few minutes before yourself." Then the woman took the leather bag filled with food and shooed them off. Farid gave Meggie a kiss, then went out to find Doria, for although the younger boy got on his nerves for liking Meggie, he was a boy filled to the brim with ideas and genius. And Farid had the brawn. So, put together they could make just about anything. They were busy trying to make a steam powered cart for the tents so the Prince's bear wouldn't have to haul the huge cumbersome one they already owned around anymore.

Meggie went to the pond to find Lilia. Lilia was Meggie's best friend (besides Farid) in the Inkworld. She was a tall woman of 24, with white skin and black hair. Her eyes were as green as the wood in summer, and her eyebrows arched perfectly. She was a proud creature.

Lilia had joined the Motley Folk shortly after Cosimo the Fair's death (the first one) because she was being beaten and cruelly used by her drunkard of a father. She was usually quiet, speaking only when spoken to and when she had something to say. She and Meggie had met when Resa was trying to find Meggie clothes that fit. Lilia was about her size, so they had often swapped things they liked, and therefore talked often. Before long, the two young women had become inseparable friends.

Coming upon the pond, Meggie saw Lilia sitting on the shore barefoot, wiggling her toes in the shallow water. Meggie giggled and went to sit beside her friend.

"Hey Meggie."

"Hi Lilia. What did you need?"

"Oh…I'm a little confused."

"By my request, or inside?"

"Inside."

It was like pulling soft sticky caramel off of a stick it had adhered itself to. Meggie sighed. "Are you going to tell me?"

"Yes."

"Then, please do."

"Alright. Meggie…I think I'm in love with the Black Prince."


	7. InkPrince

"In love with the Black Prince!?" Meggie cried. Lilia nodded.

"But…when did…_huh??_"

Lilia laughed a silvery tinkling. She relaxed and leaned back on her hands. "I don't know, Meggie. I guess he's been growing on me. Suddenly I find myself looking for him in camp, just to glimpse his face. Or when I hear that he's been caught yet again, I go into hysterics, even though I know he'll escape. It's a curious feeling. I thought you might be a person who would understand, loving Farid like you do."

At the last statement, Meggie felt the inevitable guilt rush up and form a knot in her stomach. "Um…Lilia? I have a problem too." Lilia's face grew serious. "What is it Meggie? You look kind of tormented."

The knot got bigger. "Farid proposed to me. Earlier."

"Oh my gosh! Megs, that great! What did you say!?" Lilia gushed.

"No."

She gasped. "What do you mean 'No'? You rejected him?"

Meggie nodded guiltily. She felt terrible now. Lilia was not helping as much as she thought. Her brow was crumpled up on itself, and her eyes were thunderous.

"Why!? Why did you reject him? I don't understand!" She kneaded her forehead with the knuckles on her right hand. A long scar stretched from her wrist to her elbow.

Meggie sighed and her face was sad. "Where I come from, we do not marry until we are at least 20. Odd I know," she smiled slightly at Lilia's startled look. "But our country was not in the middle of war. So we could afford to wait and marry. I made a deal with Farid. I told him I'd marry him when I was 16."

Lilia frowned. "But Meggie…"

"Yes! Yes I know! One or both of us could be dead by then. But, Lilia, I _can not_ marry at 14. I just can't!"

"Besides your age, what is in the way? It seems like that would be a thing that you would have gotten over by now…" Lilia said, quite obviously confused.

"I just… I don't think I'm ready to be someone's wife. To _belong_ to them." Meggie tried to explain the feeling.

Lilia smiled, "Meggie, please. You've _belonged_ to Farid since you met the boy. I think you should go back," she pushed gently, "go back and change you answer. You never know what might happen. Live life while you can."

Meggie sat, hugging her knees. "You think so?"

"No." She smiled. "But I'm fairly positive that torturing the boy isn't particularly endearing." She laughed and sighed as she caught a glimpse of the Prince's bear across the pond taking a drink. His master must have been close.

"I'm sorry! We were talking about you and the Prince." Meggie took Lilia's hands and opened them in front of her. The palms were rough, and there were small scars on her fingertips. Meggie knew the story of most of the scars on Lilia's body, her legs, arms, down her back. She smoothed her own softer hands across them, thinking.

"Well," she started, "how does he react to you?"

"React? To what?"

"When you say hello, or smile at him, or speak to him. Things like that. How does he act around you?"

"As far as I can tell, he acts the same near me as any of the other women. Or men for that matter! He responds politely, asks of the issues, things a leader does. He doesn't act in a special way that I can tell."

Meggie thought about it. She knew of only one person who would know anything about the Black Prince's personal life, and she was not feeling particularly friendly towards him at the moment. Still, if she was in his good graces, Dustfinger had most always been kind to Meggie, and might help her help a friend…

"I'll tell you what. I'll find out for you."

"What?" Lilia's eyebrows shot higher on her forehead than they already were.

"I know a good friend of his who might help me. Depending on how nicely I apologize."

"Don't get yourself into any trouble on my account Meggie!" Lilia cried as Meggie got up and turned towards camp.

As Meggie began to reply, there was a shout on the opposite back. The girls turned and saw the bear lumbering into the water, quickly followed by a running leap performed by a shirtless Prince. As he resurfaced, the bear splashed him. He laughed loudly and dove.

Lilia turned to Meggie. "Please hurry?"

Meggie laughed and nodded, skipping back to camp.

* * * * *

She found Farid behind Doria's tent pounding two pieces of lumber together with a rusty nail and an odd looking hammer. His hair was sweaty and curled over his eyes so that he had to flip his head constantly. Meggie could see he was hitting the wood harder than he needed to and felt guilty again. At least she was going to fix it now… and maybe later. She smiled and came up behind him. When he paused in his hammering to examine his work, she slipped her arms around his waist and kissed the side of his neck.

She felt him tense up and then relax as he realized it was just her. He turned slightly and wound one of his arms around her, pulling her close to him in a bear hug before picking her up and setting her on the cart he was constructing. Farid pushed her hair out of her face, gently tucking it behind her ears. Meggie brought her hand up to cover his on her cheek.

"I'm sorry about earlier…" She started quietly.

Farid shook his head. "No, I knew you didn't want that so soon. It was my fault."

"Well I've changed my mind."

He jump back, his forlorn face changing to surprise, then joy. "Really?! Really Meggie? You're not just trying to cheer me up?" His joy paused for a moment.

She smiled and said, "I wouldn't do that to you!" She stood up walked up to him and said, "Yes Farid. I'll marry you."

He grabbed her hips and swung her around and around until they both got dizzy from twirling and laughing, and fell to the ground.

And they stayed like that until Meggie remembered she had one more thing to do. So they got up and, hand in hand, went to find Resa.


End file.
